Printing plate registering device



March 31, 1953 A. o. GARDNER PRINTING PLATE REGISTERING DEVICE Filed Feb. 5, 1948 Patented Mar. 3l,r 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE PRINTING PLATE REGISTERING DEVICE Arthur 0. Gardner, Dayton, Ohio, assignor of thirty per cent to Homer L. Bishop and Earl E.

Stansell, doing business as Bishop-Stansell Company, West Carrollton, Ohio Application February 5, 1948, Serial No. 6,533

3 Claims. (c1. 3s-184.5)

This invention relates to apparatus for locating printing plates on a printing cylinder and `'more particularly to positioning or locating printing plates on the several printing cylinders y 'of a multicolor press so that the printing plates mounted upon the several printing cylinders are in proper registry, although the invention is not Ynecessarily so limited.

lIn the use of multi-color printing presses, it

'requires several days for the pressmen to mount and properly align the printing plates on the 'several printing cylinders in such a manner that proper registry is eiiected. Generally, this is effected by the cut-and-try method. First,

the printing plates are mounted on the black printing cylinder. An impression is then made lupon the web that is fed through the press. 'I'he printing plates on the colored printing cylinder are then mounted in position, impressions made, the plates adjusted until a satisfactory registry is obtained. This is a slow, tedious process, resulting in a waste of labor and a considerable amount of paper.

Attempts have been made to provide various devices for mounting the printing plates in proper registry upon the several cylinders of a multicolor printing press; but as far as known, none of these devices have been commercially successful.

An object of this invention is to provide a process of mounting printing plates on the printing cylinders of a multi-color printing press by the use of 4positioning instrumentalities, so as to 'greatly reduce ythe time required for mounting the printing plates on the several printing cylinders in `accurate registry.

`Another object of this invention is to produce accurately positioned locating points on the several printing cylinders of a multi-color press Yin such a manner that the printing plates may `removably attached to the attachments upon the several cylinders in seriatim, which gauge is used in conjunction with registration marks Aor recesses on l the printing plates, to thereby accurately position the several printing plates in fpr'oper registry so as to eliminate the usual cut- 'and-try methods.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof and the mode of operation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a printing cylinder having a gauge removably attached thereto for accurately positioning the printing plates on the printing cylinders.

Figure 2 is a schematic end View of a packin cylinder provided with a plurality of printing cylinders used to illustrate the first step and the process of locating the registration gauge.

Figure 3 is another schematic view, similar to Figure 2showing the packing cylinder in the position used in applying a registration mark to a succeeding printing cylinder.

Figure 4 is an enlarged end view of a printing cylinder showing the registration gauge attachment removably attached to a printing cylinder.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view, taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 rotated through an angle of Figure 6 is a vertical cross sectional view of the gauge attachment, taken substantially on the line 6--6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is another vertical cross sectional view of the gauge assembly, taken substantially on the line 'I-1 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective View of an attachment adapted to be mounted upon a printing cylinder.

Figures 2 and 3 are drawn to a smaller scale Vthan Figure 1. Figure 4 is drawn to a larger scale than Figure 1. Figures 5 and 6 are greatly `enlarged cross sectional views.

-a score line or mark I8 is cut into the end of the packing cylinder I0 in alignment with a score line or mark 20 in the end of the printing cylinder I2. These score lines, when being posi- Ytioned, coincide with a line extending from the vaxis of rotation of the packing cylinder I0 to the axis of rotation of the printing cylinder I2.

The packing cylinder I0 and the printing cylinders I2, I4 and I6 are connected together by suitable gears, so that the peripheral speed of the several cylinders is substantially the same. Furthermore, the circumference of the packing cylinder I0 is a whole number multiple Aof the circumference of the printing cylinders I2, I4 and I6, so that for each revolution of the packing cylinder I0, each of the printing cylinders makes a whole number multiple of revolutions.

After the marks I8 and 20 have been cut into the cylinders -.-|.0.-and ...I2 respectively, the packing cylinder |.0'iis 'rotated until 'i`tis'inregistry with a line joining the axis of rotation of the packing cylinder l to the axis of rotation of the printing cylinder |4. A score line or mark 22 is then cut in the end of the jprintingcylinder |4 in alignment with the mark I8. The ,packing cylinder I0 is then rotated intolthegpos'itionshowfn in Figure 3, so that the mark .lcoin-cides-with a line extending from the axis of rotation of `the packing cylinder I0 to the axis of rotatlonof the A.printing cylinder I6. Aiscore l'inefonmark 24 is then cut in the end of the printing cylinder I6 in alignment with the mark I8.

@Anaperlture .2.6.is. drilled improperI position-ad- -jacenteach lend .of .the-printing cylinders. 44This aperture ,2 S hasitscenter. located in -adiametrcal plane coaxial .with .the axis .of rotation .of .the uprinting cylinder .and-passingfthrough .the mark .'20,22..or 2.4 .asthe casemay'be. Theseapertures YZSrare `equally-.spaced laterallyirom the bearer `:found-on eacnend of `.each printing cylinder. After the apertures 26 have been drilled in .the periphery :of .the printing cylinders, suitable at- Mtachments are :permanently attached to each of the `cylindersl vThese attachments include an arcuatefplate-40 havingan rinner radiusof curva- -.ture :corresponding to .the .radius 4of curvature of the .plate-receiving..surface 42 of the printing cylinder. .The .thicknesslof .the plate 40 .is substantially equal toor slightly. less thanfthe thick- .ness1of the printing plate.

z-may'best-.be-seen by referring-toFigure 8, each ;of thexplates-40'is .provided with longitudinally extending .score lines V44 vand :transversely rdisposed score lines 4S, aall y,passing V.through lthe center of an apertura/8in a brass screw thread- '.ed..tubular .sleeve 50 xedly attached to .the plate `40. This screw threaded brass sleeve-50 projects into the aperture 28. The .score lines 44 .are aligned with the marks v20, 22 yor 24,'depending upon which cylinder is underrconsideration. The score line 45 is mounted in predetermined, spaced .relation from the inner margin of the bearer 30.

After the arcuate plate 40 has been properly positioned, it is secured in this position by a plurality offscrews 52 shown inFigure .1. .Each sof the ,printing-cylindersfis provided with a pair o'f arcuatepla-tes 40, :all accurately :positioned Vwith respect to the score .lines 21.0, 22 and 24. .Identicalfscore lines aregpreferablycut .into vboth -vends :of :all of the cylinders.

.A .removably .mounted gauge .assembly :60 .is v.used in cooperation Lwith the attachments to -ieach ofthe printingcylinders for .mounting the plates in registry upon the respective printing cylinders. 'The attachment is first mounted upon fthe #printing cylinder I2, which will `be referred tozas'therblackcylinden in that the ,plates used iinmaking the black impression are mounted on this cylinder. 'The 4removably mounted gauge .60 "includes a transverse bar-EZ'proVided With'arectangular `.channel-like slot 64 extending A.longi- 'Etudinally throughout its length, or `'substantially so. `A longitudinally extending :slot 66 vprovides anopenin'g `.the side .of the fbar 62 into the rslot14. The ,slot"|j|, together Ywith the slot 64,

formsasubstantially T-s'haped opening.

The transverse bar .6.2 ris vremovably `:attached itc azprinting Jcylinderrbmm'eans of the threadthe 'plates beyond the printing surface.

uerly align the plates.

ed screws 'I0 extending through the ends of the bar 62 and threadedly engaging the tubular sleeve 50 permanently attached to the printing cylinder. The ends of the bar 64 are preferably solid, so as to provide a solid portion surrounding .thescrews 1.0. .This transverse 'bar 62 usupports a, plurality of gauge arms '|2, each threadedly engaging a hinge member 'I4 mounted upon a screw 'I6 passing through the furcations 'I3 of a bifurcated member 8i?. Member 80 has a thread- -ed-cylindrical portion 02 and a square head 84 arrangedin .spaced .relation from the threaded portioni 82 by areduced portion 86. The reduced .portion 286 :lspositioned in the slot 66 and the Asduaresheadisfsnugly seated in the opening 64. A nut threadedly engages the threaded portion'itZ and is used in cooperation with the head 84 .to .clamp the gauge arm in proper position on the bar 62. The arm 'I2 supports an ad- .justably .mounted pointer 92, held in adjusted position .byaknurled set screw-94. YTIhispo'inter HS32-may be adjusted vlongitudinallyon the arm 1.2, `so :as to be vpositionedin any desired place.

The black .plates .represented -.by the lre'ference .numeral |00 are .each ,provided with accurately positioned conically shaped registration .recesses or apertures |02 in the margins of the plates. These recesses functionas registration marks'on Ltheplates. Theseapertures |02 arepositioned in the shell used in vmanufacturing electrotypes. Furthermore, the apertures |02 areall positioned .in the same relative lposition Aon all vof .the `corresponding platesfor the several colors,.so that if the apertures-or recesses |02 are properly-positioned with respect to the score lines .20, r22 and 24, the plates onthe several printing cylinders will be laccurately registered'when printing upon the web or paper.

The black Aplates l|00 `are accurately Ialigned on the cylinder I2. The ,pointers 02 on the gauge arm 'I2 are adjusted'so as vto be positioned in the recesses |02, there being one pointer for each recess, there being two recesses foreach plate, the recesses being`positioned in the margins of .After th'epointers 92 have A:been accurately positioned inthe recesses of the vblack plates .aligned across the black printing cylinder I2 and properly secured in position, the gauge assembly 60 is then removed from the black cylinder I2.

lThe gauge assembly 60 may then -be attached to the color printing cylinder VIl.; lin readiness to Valign'the colored printing plates on 'the cylinder I4. "These'colored 'printing plates are 'provided with apertures |02 `ii-ythemargins in amanner "identical to those found on the black plates. By 'arranging the colored'plates in "such a manner that thepointers 92 Aregister with 'the apertures |02 on the colored plates for the particular color used on thecylinder I4, these colored plates are secured in position in any conventional manner known to -those skilled in lthe art.

The gauge assembly 60 is then removed from Vthe cylinder I4 and attached to the succeeding cylinder .I6 in the same manner, Without making anyadjustments of the ,pointers andthe gauge arms. The color plates to be used on the cyl- .inder .I6 .are then so `positioned that the pointers .92 drop .into therespective recesses |02 to prop- As soon as these Yplates have been aligned, theyarelockedin position, the

ggauge `is removed, the operation .repeated upon succeedingcylinders notshown, until all .of the plates have been mounted in position. The

gauge assembly is mounted upon and removed from the printing cylinders in seriatim. -f

Upon the web being fed through the printing press by the packing cylinder and the respectivfe. printing cylinders rotating so as to pull a proof.y

it will be found that all of the plates on the printing press make impressions superimposed upon each other substantially in registry. It may pew Ynecessary to make slight adjustments of some? of the plates in the event the pressman has` failed to properly position the plates. If the;V`

pressman has carefully followed the proper,

method of mounting the plates, as described above, the plates should all resister within allowable tolerances. As the cylinders are rotated;-

the printing cylinders print impressions il registry in seriatlm.

It has been found that this process results in the printing plates being positioned upon the printing cylinders within a period of a few hours instead of several days, as has been the common practice in the past. f 1

In the modification disclosed in the drawinga curved arm 12 projects from one side of the bar4 621 Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, it will be understood that Within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, profn portion and arrangement of parts, the combina-u ,threaded aperture, `a removably mounted registration gauge assembly, said gauge assembly including a transverse bar having apertures adi jacent each end thereof, bolts passing through zthe apertures of the bar and threadedly engaging the v plates of a cylinder for removably securing the bar to the printing cylinder, said bar being provided with a longitudinally extending substantially T-shaped slot, the opening into the slot extending in one side of the bar, supporting members adjustably mounted in the slot, each of said supporting members being provided with a bifurcated end, arcuate arms pivotally mounted between the furcations of the supporting members, each of the arcuate arms having adjustably mounted thereon pointers adapted to be aligne(1 with the registration recesses in the margins of the printing plates, and means for securing the pointers in adjusted position upon the arms so that the gauge assembly may be moved from one cylinder to another for aligning the plates of a set upon the several printing cylinders'.

2. An attachment according to claim 1 wherein each of the supporting members is substantially T-shaped with the head mounted in the slot, the stem of the T projecting outwardly through the opening, the stem being circular and provided with threads, and a nut for threadedly engaging the threads upon the stem for locking the supporting members in position upon the bar.

3. An attachment according to claim 1 wherein each of said arcuate arms consists of a hinge member pivotally mounted between 'the furcations of the supporting member, said hinge member having a threaded aperture, and an arcuate member terminating in a threaded end threadedly engaging the hinge member.

ARTHUR O. GARDNER.

REFERENCES CITED' The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 896,899 Dietrich Aug. 25, 1908 1,070,669 Cundall Aug. 19, 1913 1,083,543 Kroenert Jan. 6, 1914 1,313,082 Fraser Aug. 12, 1919 1,583,825 Davis May l1, 1926 2,092,979 Lennox Sept. 14, 1937 2,095,542 Claybourn Oct. 12, 1937 2,104,553 Claybourn Jan. 4, 1938 2,231,187 Hawley Feb. 11, 1941 2,348,944 White May 16, 1944 2,383,080 Reilly et al. Apr. 21, 1945 

